Dazzled: Reckless Desires - final ARC Read online

She tried bookstore browsing, going to the other museums in town, even taking a drive up the Angeles Crest Highway to get above the murk of the city and clear her head. As it turned out, being so alone with her thoughts on the winding highway in the mountains was too eerie, so she turned around and just went back to her empty apartment.

  Sebastian called once.

  Just hearing his deep voice sent that sweet arousal through her body, despite the reality of the situation. But she needed first to be sure of two things.

  One, that she could regain her own equilibrium after the chaotic events.

  Two, even more importantly, was that she was grappling with the stark fact that she was actually in love with a man who could become a dragon.

  “I can't yet,” she whispered on the phone, before gently ending the call.

  He didn't try to reach her again, which was almost more painful than anything that had happened yet.

  Midweek, Lacey returned to work after surreptitiously checking on Sebastian's whereabouts. According to the assistant in his office when Lacey called, he was in Europe on business till the end of the week. Lacey hung up without leaving her name. She threw herself back into her work with a frenzied passion that reminded her of her grad school days.

  It was hard because everywhere she turned at the Center, she was reminded of him.

  She felt a deep yearning for him that she just couldn't shake. He'd said something about her being his mate. She wasn't quite sure she understood that meant, but she also knew on some deep, primal level it had something to do with her unshakeable knowledge that she was connected to him in a way that went beyond the eroticism, beyond the simple, easy conversation they shared when they were together.

  Frankly, being away from him even though by her own choice sliced at her heart more than she would have thought possible after such a short time of realizing the depth of the connection between them.

  On Friday, as she left her office fairly late in the evening, her cell phone rang with a number marked PRIVATE. Biting her lip, she stared at it for a long moment before steeling herself and answering. To her half disappointment, a female voice answered her tentative greeting.

  "Lacey? It's Maria. Maria from Señor Sebastian's household.” The woman's voice was hesitant, but Lacey could hear the determination beneath it. “May I say something to you?"

  Lacey, who had just gotten into her car in the parking garage, nodded dumbly at the phone before saying, "Yes. Of course."

  Without preamble, Maria went on. "I know you do not understand everything. It is expected. But you must know, this is genuine from him.” Her voice strengthened. “You have his heart, Lacey. He's a very hard man to know and to love, but he will protect you to the end of your days. He will never forgive himself for how cruelly he yelled at you, but that is only his own pain talking."

  Lacey sighed. "I understand that. It all made sense," she added softly. Staring through her windshield at the soft spring rain that was beginning to slide down over the openings of the parking structure, she added, "I forgive him, if that helps. I just—I still don't know what to do with this. I truly can't make sense of it.”

  In a firm yet kind voice, Maria replied, "You will. See here now, he would kill me if he knew his mamacita had called you."

  Despite herself, Lacey had to laugh a little bit.

  "But," Maria went on, "I called not just for him. I called for you, too.”

  Lacey was motionless as she listened.

  “The moment you walked into the house, Lacey, I could see it.” Conviction rang through Maria's voice. “You love him just as much as he loves you. Don't lose that just because you don't understand everything. True love is very rare in this world. You were very, very lucky to have found such a thing as your mate."

  Her mate. Slowly, the word had begun to seep into her consciousness. She was Sebastian's mate.

  Did that mean that he also was hers?

  As she drove home, Maria's words bounced around Lacey's head. The closer she got to the apartment, the more the events of the week and her own churning thoughts since then finally settled inside her.

  It was true. Never in her life would she have thought that she, Lacey Whitman from not the wrong side of the tracks but definitely not the right side of town, would achieve as much as she had, with her education and her career. Just thinking of Sebastian, his masculine scent, incredible presence, the amazing trust he had shared with her by letting her into the deepest sanctity of his home which he was his heart, solidified everything in one flashing moment.

  Sure, it was crazy. But it was true.

  The man she loved was a dragon.

  And she could handle it.

  As lightness suddenly buoyed her, she pulled into a parking space at home and darted up the stairs to her door. The first real smile she'd managed in a week spread across her face as she suddenly realized she couldn't wait for him to come back from his current travels so she could tell him that she was the one who was actually the fool.

  At the top of the stairs leading to the outside door of her building, she stopped short, staring.

  Sebastian waited for her. Tall, lean, exuding his inexorable power, he peeled away from where he'd been leaning on the wall beside the door and stepped toward her.

  Lacey's breath caught his dark, spicy scent as it reached her, sparking that little electric snap she felt every time she was near him. His face was open. Vulnerable. More raw than she'd ever seen it before.

  She felt abruptly tongue-tied with shyness.

  He was here. Sebastian had showed up at her humble little apartment, by himself. Lacey opened her mouth but literally didn't know what to say. He stared back at her, just as silent. Finally gathering some of her wits about her, she simply said, "Do you want to come in?"

  He nodded, the motion sending a coal black strand of hair sliding across his forehead. Lacey swallowed hard, opened the door, and gestured for him to come in. Once inside, they stood in the little living room the front door opened up to, still staring at each other. Lacey felt a brief flicker of embarrassment at how tiny and not particularly interesting, although quite clean, her apartment was in comparison to his elegant hacienda.

  But Sebastian didn't seem to notice anything except her. He swallowed and licked his lips, but didn't say anything.

  With a stunning jolt, Lacey realized that Sebastian Antonio Bernal, world-famous billionaire, self-assured mogul, and also apparently badass dragon shifter, was nervous.

  Because of her.

  The realization blasted her with such a sense of wonder, her lips suddenly curved up. She let her purse and her soft leather work briefcase slide down her arms to land gently on the ground, and took a step toward him. Another step, then she suddenly stopped cold again.

  Tears were shimmering in Sebastian's gorgeous, velvety black-brown eyes. Though unshed, they were there. An expression of equal wonder bracketed his face. Finally, he spoke, his voice just barely dipping into a ragged edge.

  "Lacey. There are so many things I need to tell you. So many things I want to share with you. It all begins by trusting you, implicitly.”

  The rawness on his face, the vulnerability, made her heart thump out of rhythm.

  His voice was soft. “You are the treasure of my heart. My beautiful, amazing treasure of a mate.” Sebastian blinked as he said that, his smile growing even bigger. “I think I knew that from the first moment I saw you. You dazzled me even then, but I didn't know what to do with it. "

  Lacey took another step toward him, tendrils of pure joy starting to dance through her body. "Sebastian, you don't have to say anything else," she said just before he opened his mouth again. "I don't understand it either, but you're right. In fact,” and she suddenly felt wetness pooling in her eyes and thickening her tongue, “I think you're actually my treasure. I want nothing more than to be able to spend the rest of our lives together, discovering together what exactly that means."

  With a groan that rumbled through Lacey from head to toe, Sebast
ian closed the gap between them, put his arms around her, and captured her lips with his in a long, deep kiss that melted away the rest of the world.

  He pulled back just enough to trace her cheek with his finger as he said in that deep, wildly sexy voice, "This is only the beginning, Lacey. Thank you," he whispered, his voice filled with intense conviction.

  "But you aren't simply my mate, Lacey," Sebastian added. He pulled back to suddenly, gracefully drop to one knee.

  Lacey's hands clapped over her mouth as she stared at him, although she could feel her smile breaking out from behind her fingertips.

  "I am also hopeful you will do me enormous honor of becoming my wife." Sebastian held up a small black velvet box, which he opened.

  Lacey gasped through her fingers. Really, at this point she should be used to gorgeous golden objects sparkling in her eyes every time she was around Sebastian. But this one was exceptional. A stunning diamond set into the gold band caught the light with its facets. Nodding her head, she sputtered out, "Yes, yes, yes!"

  Through a new barrage of overjoyed tears, she reached her hand out for him to take. First, though, he gently pulled the ring from the box, and lifted it toward her to she could see it more closely.

  "Look into it," he said, the brilliant smile on his face she was sure matching the one on hers. "Tell me what you see."

  Lacey peered at it, blinking furiously to clear the tears from her eyes. Deep within the facets of the diamond, she could see the beautiful, shadowed outline of a dragon's head.

  "Yes," she said, then almost impatiently thrust forward her ring finger for him to slip the ring on it, which he did with a new bout of joyous, free laughter. "Yes, Sebastian. My very own dragon shifter treasure."

  ~the end~

  If you'd like to be the first to know when Thrilled, Book 2 in the Dragon Mates series, releases, please sign up for J.K.'s newsletter

  About J.K. Harper

  J.K. Harper writes about paranormal romance because despite a lifetime of wishing, all the cool supernatural book characters of her childhood just don't seem to be real. Besides, it's really fun to make stuff up. She lives in the rugged, gorgeous canyon country of the Southwest, which is a great place to let her imagination run wild.

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  Interested in reading wolf shifters? Check out J.K.'s Black Mesa Wolves books.

  To get the first book in the series FREE, sign up for the newsletter, which also always has the latest information on her new releases.

  Read more about the Black Mesa Wolves:

  Guardian Wolf, Book 1

  Alpha Wolf, Book 2

  Hunting Wolf, Book 3

  Wild Wolf, Book 4

  Rogue Wolf, Book 5

  J.K. Harper Books

  Guardian Wolf: Black Mesa Wolves #1

  Praise for Guardian Wolf:

  "The characters of Lily and Kieran are smoking hot and burn the pages with their passion.... If you enjoy shifter romances, then you are going to love Guardian Wolf." -Sizzling Hot Book Reviews

  "What a great beginning to a new series.... It packs a wallop that I didn't see coming. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the next one." -Night Owl Reviews, 4.5 Top Pick

  “Sexy as hell…. Very gripping can’t wait to read other novels by J.K. Harper.” -Jayde

  “Addictive.” -WOOWOO2

  “I loved this story and was kept riveted from start to finish. It was brilliant.” -sinita

  Alpha Wolf: Black Mesa Wolves #2

  Praise for Alpha Wolf:

  “Great read!!! Overall it was an awesome book.” -Nerd Girl Official Reviews

  “I found this book well written with interesting and engaging characters.” -Romancing the Read

  “Hot! JK Harper really has a way with words. Fun and sexy. I couldn't put it down.” -Valentine

  “Rafe and Sara…are awesome characters, and I was totally laughing at some great interactions.” – Cassandra

  “I loved the way it did not go straight into sex but led up to it. Wonderful hunting scenes from the wolves.” -bayoujewel

  Hunting Wolf: Black Mesa Wolves #3

  Praise for Hunting Wolf:

  "I love her shifter world! She's created a wonderful world and characters that captured my attention from the first chapter and have held it through three books.... This is my favorite in the series so far." -Night Owl Reviews, 4.5 Top Pick

  "I have to say the series just keeps getting better and better. Overall this is a great book." -Nerd Girl Official Reviews

  "Caleb is the strong, gorgeous, badass and Rielle is the quiet, bookreading historian of the pack, who calms him like no other. This series is a great read for anyone who enjoys paranormal romance." - Bobbi

  "So far this is definitely my favorite Black Mesa Wolves book.... I'd definitely recommend to PNR and Shifter lovers." -Lanie

  "Just finished reading and wow!! Caleb and Rielle were perfect for each other.... Drama, humor, smexy times with a bit of action." -Dina

  Wild Wolf: Black Mesa Wolves #4

  Praise for Wild Wolf:

  "I like Claire and her independent spirit.... And those rogues...I just want to punch 'em in the face!!" -SummerMeadow

  “Wild Wolf is one hell of a story! I was swept away in the start of the book, and I couldn't put it down until the last.” -Sabrina

  “Tate Bardou warmed my heart right away. His easy going ways were very endearing and irresistible. The fact that he is a cowboy doesn't hurt either.” Cheryl D.

  “What a sweet, sexy, well written story! This is the 1st book that I've written by J K Harper and I enjoyed it immensely!” -R Aiken

  “I literally raced through the book because I couldn't put it down. Tate and Claire are just wonderful together and the tension between them was just yum!” -Sinka

  Solstice Wolf: A Black Mesa Wolves Holiday Short Story

  Praise for Solstice Wolf:

  “This is such a great story! … They struggle with their choices but their connection runs so deep! I love their passion and commitment!” -Jenn Allen

  “A wonderful Christmas story that made me smile in the end.” -Casie L

  “It’s not often you get to read a story of any length where they have already mated or married, so for me, that alone scored this baby a gold star! … J.K. gave this story the perfect amount of depth & enrichment making it feel like you just experienced a longer story. And the fact that I DID experience it, not just read it, speaks volumes!” -Cherri-Anne Boitson

  “A fantastic holiday conclusion that melts the heart. This is a great series.” -Sherill

  Christmas Wolf: A Black Mesa Wolves Holiday Short Story

  Praise for Christmas Wolf:

  "Had me enthralled throughout the story. Ana and Mason's story pulled at my heart strings because you can't help who you fall in love with. This is a feel good Christmas story that had me crying and very happy. It is always an awesome story when the author can make you cry. :)" -Casie L

  "A heart-warming magnificent holiday conclusion." - Sherill

  “These two characters are perfect for each other... Excellent read.” -Alice

  "What a wonderful gift - a fabulous novella! ... A great, quick read in the Black Mesa Wolves series." -cremsing

  “I completely enjoy the Black Mesa series and all of its characters.” -Jess

  “Tie him with a red bow and put him under my tree.” -Linda

  New Year Wolf: A Black Mesa Wolves Holiday Short Story

  Praise for New Year Wolf:

  “5 GOLD SNOWFLAKES! ~ The communication between wolf & human is hilarious! … That is actually one of my favorite parts of shifter stories but no one does it as PAWFECTLY as J.K.!” -Cherri-Anne Boitson

  “5 Stars ~ Sweet romance with pack intrigue mixed in.” -Kson

  “Great story about second chances and new beginnings.” -Lourin

  “Different, interesting story with a positive message.” -dora la exploradora

  “This
was a cute short novella that will have your heart beating quickly and your eyes cleaning themselves out. A great story of how Caleb has turned his life around, only to find a new place in life for him and his mate Ree. … Great read with many unexpected twists. Loved it!” -cindyc

  Rogue Wolf: Black Mesa Wolves #5

  available 2016

  Luke Rawlins trusts no one. Growing up in a pack filled with madness and deception will do that to a wolf. As a result, his mind is cold and ruthless, his shattered heart dark and empty. Desperate calculation forced him to choose life as a rogue: always hunted, always watching his back. When he finally found something resembling normal life, he seized the chance to prove his own worth. The only thing missing now is Tala, the only woman he’s ever loved—until she double-crossed him and turned his heart to ash.

  Tala Mingan never wanted to be broken, scarred, or merciless, but her upbringing made sure of that. She's the product of a damaged pack, and in order to survive she had to be calculating and outwardly heartless. Even so, deep inside she misses Luke so badly she know it's slowly killing her. At least she has memories of the secretly joyful life they dared try to build together—until her treacherous betrayal. The one she knows Luke will never forgive. Trapped by the cruel pack that refuses to let her go, she's resigned to a short, lonely existence instead.